Automatic fire-extinguisher.



' Patented Apr; I, l902., W. ESTY. I

Aurommc FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

(Application filed Jan. 26, 1893.)

(No Model.)

Wig/72.65365 Jzwenzw: j/lzzmma' f UNITED Tara s ATENT Prion.

VILLIAM ESTY, OF LAOONIA, NEWV HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNQR TO THE ESTY SPRINKLER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.

AUTOMATlC' FIRE-=EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent no. 696,884, dated April 1, 1902. Application filed January 25,1893. Serial No. 459,676. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Esrv, of Laconia, in the county of Belknap and State of New Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Fire- Extinguishers, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic fire eX- IO tinguishers or sprinklers; and it consists in certain novel features of construction, arrangement, and combinationof parts, which will be readily understood by reference to the description of the drawings and to the claims :5 hereinafter contained and in which my invention is clearly pointed out.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings is a view in elevation of a device embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the. same in vertical section on line am in Fig. 1 and showing also a small portion of the water-pipe in which said device is set, said portion of pipe being also represented in section. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of the same, the cutting plane being on line y g in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents side elevations of the two parts of the support for the discharge-valve before said parts have been secured together by the easily-fusible solder. Fig. 5 is a view in end elevation of said parts underthesame conditions. Fig. 6 is a view in plan of the removable seatingdisk.

In the drawings, A is a stirrup-like casting comprising the hubs a and a and the two ties 5 a a by which the hubs are connected together, as shown. The hub a has formed thereon a male screw-thread, by which it is secured in position in the pipe 13. It has an opening through the same for the discharge of water from said pipe B, and it has formed on its lower end a seat I) to receive the valve 0, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The valve 0 has formed in its upper surface a shallow circular recess, in which is fitted a disk 0', of mica,

for the purpose of preventing the valve from sticking to its seat when its support has been removed and from thus'rendering the apparatus inoperative. I make the said disk of mica, because the latter is absolutely non- 5o corrodible, which quality, together with its laminated structure, by virtue of which it is easily divided and subdivided almost without limit, renders it peculiarly adapted for use as a packing for the valves of automatic fire extinguishers or sprinklers, inasmuch as even if the surfaces of the metal seat and valve should corrode the valve would be readily removed by the pressure of the water in the pipe whenthe valve-support is removed by the fusing of the soft metal connecting its parts, because if the mica should be made to adhere to the seat and valve by said corrosion the pressure of the water would cause the mica to be split to liberate the valve, and the part adhering to the seat would be burst, thus permitting the water to escape. The valve is held in contact with its seat by the support 0, which is made up of two triangular pieces or members d d. They are provided, respectively, with the conical centers 6 e, the first thereof to fit into a recess in the under surface of the valve 0 and the other to fit into a recess in the upper end of the screw-stepf. The said screw-step is threaded in the hub a and serves as a rest for the lower part of the valve- 7 5 support. By screwing it in the valve 0 is pressed hard against its seat.

The contiguous or opposing surfaces (1 of the pieces or members 61 d, are formed transversely with relation to the line of pressure that is transmitted through the valve and valve-support, and the said pieces or members are secured together by a solder g, that is applied between these surfaces. The said solder is of a kind which is fusible at or about or other predetermined low temperature. The pieces or members at and (1 preferably are made exactly alike in order that they may be cast from the same pattern and also in order to render the valve-support perfectly o symmetrical in shape; but this is not essential to my invention. They need not necessarily be made triangular in shape, and the two need not be like unto each other. In the form of the pieces or members that is repre- 5 sented in the drawings each thereof is T- shaped in vertical cross-section, it having a horizontal Web extending lengthwise thereof and a vertical web that is joined to the horizontal web at mid-width of the latter. The ice flat outer sides of the horizontal webs consti= tute the proximate or opposing surfaces of the pieces or members d and cl and are of considerable area. The contact of the said faces begins at a point a little to one side or offset speedy fusing of the solder or other uniting material by an increase of temperature. I contemplate in some cases omitting the vertical Webs.

A serious defectof prior sprinklers of this class is the fact that the exposed portions of fusible metal or solder become entirely incrusted or covered by the products of corro-' sion of the metal of the valve-supportthat is, by the formation of verdigris orother products of corrosion which is non-conductive and by shielding the solder from the heat prevents speedy fusion of the solder when a fire breaks out. In my extinguisher or sprinkler; inasmuch as the solder is exposed chiefly or wholly at the edges of the horizontal webs and as the said edges are comparatively thin, there is very little opportunity for incrustation to form over the solder. There also is a reduced liability of the said edges becoming bound together by the said incrustation in a manner which will prevent the two parts,

halves, or members separating.

The free end of the valve-support projects directly outward, and thereby is exposed fully to the influence of ascending heated air and also is removed from liability to become wetted and chilled by the first jet of water which escapes from the nozzle as the valve opens.

As will be apparent, the described form of of the valve-support from valve-support is constructed on the principle of a toggle-joint. It consists, essentially, of two lever like pieces or members, one of which more directly sustains the valve, while the other thereof maybe described as constituting a support for the first, the said pieces or members having a fulcrum-point or knuckle that is offset from the direct line of thrust and also having leverage securing arms extending outwardly from said fulcrumpoint, the said arms being held together by readily-fusible solder and the contiguous or opposing surfaces of the said pieces or members to which the solder is applied being formed transversely with relation to the line of thrust. The inner ends of the pieces or members d d are inclined or otherwise so formed as to locate the fulcrum-point aforesaid to one side laterally of the direct line of Under the pressure thrust, as aforesaid.

which occurs while the sprinkler is in use the members are squeezed together at their inner ends, while at theirouter ends they tend to pull apart, thus exerting'a continuous pull on the solder. The moment the solder becomes sufficiently fused to permit movement the said outer ends separate, and, owing to the increased ratio of. the movement of the outer ends, the said outer ends instantly become spread apart to such an extent that they cannot reunite in the case of chilling of the solder. When the solder or other fusible material uniting the pieces or members d d becomes fused, and thus affords opportunity for the said pieces or members to separate under the pressure of the water upon the valve, the said pieces or members will turn relatively to each other on the fulcrumpoint, splitting apart from their outermost tips to the said fulcrum-point, thereby breaking apart and releasing the valve, soas to permit a full discharge of water from the nozzle. The arrangement of the two pieces 01 and d one on top of the other in the line of the pressure transmitted through the valve, with their bearing-surfaces transversely disposed with relation to said line of pressure, relieves the solder. of the greater part of the dead strain which is exerted upon and through the valve-support, such part being simply transmitted through the valve-support-to the screwf, upon which the latter rests, and thus to the yoke or frame constituted by the casting A.

D is asprinkler disk or cup mounted loosely upon the screwf below the hub a, so as to be revolulole thereon, said sprinkler disk or cup having its main body made concave-convex and being provided around its outer edge with the petticoat-like flange 7L, the outer surface of which forms an acute angle with the outer portion of the upper or concave surface of, said cup. The angular ridge formed by the junction of said surfaces has cut through it a series of grooves or notches h, which are arranged oblique to radial lines or tangential to a circle concentric to the axis of said cup and are of sufficient depth to form openings 11 through said cup between said petticoat-flange and the eoncavo-convex portion of the cup, as shown in Figs. 1 and 8.

Theoperation of myinvention is as follows: Water-supply pipes, as B, being arranged in the room to be protected near the ceiling in a well-known manner, a series of my extinguishers or sprinklers are applied to openings in the peripheries of said pipes so as to project therefrom. The pipes 13 will be in direct communication with the street main orother source of supply having the requisite head to give the desired pressure in any wellknown manner. If a fire is started in the room, so that the temperature of the room is raised above a predetermined point, the solder 9 between the pieces 02 d of the valvesupport 0 will be fused, so as to present no obstacle to the separation of said parts, whereupon the pressure of the water in the pipe B, acting upon the valve 0, and through it upon the center 6 in a line at one side of and removed from the inner contiguous corners d of said pieces, will cause said parts (1 and d and the valve 0 to fall to the floor, when the water, escaping from the pipe B through the orifice in the hub Ct, is thrown with considerable force against the concave surface of the cup D, and in escaping therefrom a portion is forced against the outer oblique sides of the notches h, thereby causing said sprinklercup to revolve about the screwj, while other portions find their way through the openings 11 and striking the inner inclined surface of the petticoat-flange are deflected therefrom in a great variety of directions, thus causing a most thorough breaking up and scattering of the water in all directions, so as to fall to the floor in a shower of spray and cover a very considerable area, including the space directly beneath the sprinkler. This invention will operate equally well whether the discharge of water is downward or upward; but when the discharge is upward I prefer to reverse the sprinklercup relative to the valve, so that the water-discharge from the orifice will strike the convex side of said cup instead of the concave side.

The horizontally-extending portions of the pieces or members (1 and d united by the fusible solder constitute leverage-securing arms or portions extending laterally from the inner ends of the said pieces or members. This construction enables the fusible solder to operate to the best advantage in resisting the strains resulting from the pressure on the valve. i

It will be seen that the upperhalf or member of what is herein termed the valve-support consists, essentially, of a valve-supporting thrust-arm having an inclined inner 1 end and having also a leverage-securing portion extending laterally at an angle to the said inner end. The lower member or half of the so-called valve-support constitutes a laterally-extending support, to the proximate surface of which the under surface of the said leverage-securing portion is soldered.

I claim as my invention 1. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the combination with a water-supply pipe provided with a discharge-orifice and a valve-seat surrounding said orifice, of a valve for closing said orifice, a valve-support made in two parts secured together by a metal that will fuse at a low temperature, and a sprinkler-cup having its main body made concavo-convex and provided at its outer edge with a flaring petticoat-like flange, and also having a series of oblique notches cut through its raised angular ridge and forming openings between the petticoat-like flange and the concavo-convex portion of said cup,substantially as described.

2. In combination with the supply-pipe B, the stirrup-like casting A set in an opening in said pipe and provided with a discharge-orifice through its hub a, and with the seat 1) surrounding said orifice, the screw-step f mounted adjustably in the hub a, the valve c, the mica disk 0, the valve-support 0 made in two parts secured together by a metal that will fuse at a low temperature, and the concavoconveX sprinkler cup D provided with the petticoat-like flange h, the oblique notches h, and the openings 'i, substantiallyas described.

3. In an automatic fire-extinguisher, the concavo -convex sprinkler-cup D provided with the annular pendent flange h, the series of notches 7t, and the openings 2', substantially as described.

4. In combination with a supply-pipe provided with. a discharge orifice, a seat surrounding said orifice, a valve for closing said orifice, a support for said valve, constructed and adapted to be disintegrated when the temperature of the room is raised above a predetermined point, and an adjustable step for said support, of the concavo-convexcup D provided with the annular flange h, the series of notches h, and openings i, loosely mounted upon a suitable bearing, and adapted to be reversed to present either its concave or convex side toward the outflowing jet of water, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my nameto this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 20th day of January, A. D. 1893.

WILLIAM ESTY.

Witnesses:

O. F. STONE, LEWIS F. BUSILL. 

